Chair-coupling.



G. E. LINDER.

CHAIR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.14, 1908.

Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

eusrnr n. LINDER, or GENEVA, ILLINOIS.

onstadourmne.

' Specification t LettersiBatent.

Patented Dec. '7, 1909 Application filed November s, 1906. Serial No. 462,671.

4 To all whom it my co'lwemr Be it known that I, Gusmr E. LINDER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Ge neva, in the county of Kaneand State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Chair-Couplers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact vompanymg {to description, reference bein had'to the acdrawing, form1ng a part of this pecification. js-j' p My invention relates tomeans .for coupchairs or'seats together to forma conuous, orpractically continuous, row. My device is particularly adapted for use on chairs in halls, lecture rooms, schools, etc., where separate chairs are used, but it is desired that these chairs form a practically 1 continuous row and be secured together to prevent the same. from being disarranged or moved about.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a coupler, which, while it will securely connect the chairs together, will permit the same to be readily separated in event it is desired to move the chairs or change their arrangement.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device which is simple and strong, and which will, when the chairs are separated, have no projecting parts.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings one form of my invention for the purpose of disclosing the sa ne In said draw1n s- Figure 1 1s a trontelevation of a num er of chairs, some of'the same being shown connected together by my .coupler and one of the chairs being shown in a detached position; Fig. :2 is atop plan view-of my improved coupler; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the coupler; Fig. it is a sectional view taken on the line of Fig. :2; and Fig. is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated, my coupler comprises a pair of receiving members 6 and a coupler or link member 7 Each receiving member is pref-- erably formed from a piece of sheet metal which has its sides flanged downwardly and inwardly as at 8 to form a socket. The receiving members are adapted to be secured in position by screws passing through opening s 9 formed therein and are eachprovided with a pin-receiving opening 10.

The coupler t preterably comprises a [of the receiver.

'ing longitudinally extending strengthening ribs. 11. The ends of the bar are flanged downwardly as at 12 to give additional r1- gidlty to the same. The coupler is adapted tomake a sliding engagement with the receivers, the ends oft-he coupler being adapted to be slid into the sockets formed on the receivers and locked therein by locking pins 13 which engage in the pin-receiving openingsv 10. The locking pins are secured on the'coupler by a pair of flatsprings ll, which, at their outer ends, are riveted to the under side of the coupler between the strengthening ribs 11 and carry the pins thereon, suitable openings being provided in the coupler, permitting the pins to project therethrough and beyond the upper surface thereof." In practice I prefer to secure the outer ends of the springs near the outer ends of the coupler, making the springs long enough to extend to almost the center of the coupler. The inner ends of the springs are turned down to be more readily grasped by the operator. By this arrangement, when the coupler is in position, holding a pair of chairs together, the springs are more readily accessible.

In practice, the receivers 6 are secured under the seats of a pair of chairs, one on each chair, and when it is desired to couple the chairs together, the coupler is inserted in one of the receivers, being slid therein until one of the locking pins 13 thereof en gages in the pin-receiving opening 10 of the receiver. The next chair is then moved toward the chair carrying the coupler and the opposite end of the coupler is slid into the receiver carried on the free chair until the locking pin carried on the free end of the coupler engages in the receiving opening 10 In this manner the chairs are secured together, and it will be noted that due to the, construction of my coupling devices, the chairs are rigidly held together -m such a manner that they are prevented from being moved in any direction relatively to one another. \Vhen it is desired to separate the chairs, the operator needs only to reach under the coupler and depress one of the pin-carrying springs. This moves the locking pin out of the pin-rece ving opening of one of the recelvers, perm tting the coupler to be drawn out of its socket. After the chairs have been separated, the coupler or link 7 may be slid in straight bar formed of sheet metal and havthe receiver back under the chair until the 1 locking pin on the .outer end engages in the 'llllk pine-receiving opening 10 of the receiver. In this manner the coupler or link 7 will be held in position under the chair and will not project beyond the sides of the chair to interferewith stacking or transporting the chair.

While I have described one specific form' of my invention, it will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the .spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims. Having thusidescribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is "v -1. In a chair coupler, the combination with stationary receivers arranged to' be secured to the chairs, of alink arranged to make sliding engagement with said receivers, spring-pressed locking pins for locking said links a inst longitudinal movement,

the springs or said pins being secured to the link at their outer end and having their ee ends arrangednear the center of the 2. A device for coupling two chairs together side by side, comprisingasocket arranged to be secured tonne of said chairs, said socket being formed with a'horizontal ed to slidably engage the slideway of said socket, manually releasable means for connecting said coupling member to said socket, and means for attaching said coupling memher to the other chair, whereby said chairs are coupled together.

3. A device for coupling two chairs together side by side, comprising a socket arranged to be secured to one of said chairs, said socket being formed with a horizontal slideway therein, a second socket arranged to be secured to the other chair, said second socket also being formed with a horizontal slideway therein, a couplin member adapted to slidably engage the sideways of said sockets to couple thechairs. togethenand manually releasable means for connecting said cou ling member to said sockets.

4. A evice for coupling two chairs together side by side, comprising a socket arranged to be secured to one of said chairs,

said socket being formed with a horizontal .member comprising a rigid bar having its ends arranged to enter the sockets 01 said receiving members, and pins carried near the ends of said link adapted to enter the openings in said receivers to lock the link against longitudinal movement.

6. In a chair coupler, the combination i with a pair of receiving members formed of slldeway therem, a coupling member adaptsheet metal having its sides turned downwardly and inwardly to form receiving sockets, of a link comprising a straight bar nesses.

GUSTAF E. LINDER. Witnesses W. PERRY HAHN, M. R. Rooi-IFom). 

